"A British couple could face 19 years in prison for the alleged murder of their baby daughter in Torrevieja in 2008. The baby is said to have died from an accidental fall, but the prosecution have sought 19 years in prison for the couple and have alleged that the couple are guilty of murder.

Little Lucia died as a result of multiple head injuries after an accidental fall. The prosecution pointed out that despite being "clearly aware" of the fatal consequences of the child´s fall, neither parent took baby Lucia to hospital. The team further allege that the pair did not want evidence of previous injuries, said to have resulted from a beating by her father, to come to light. The injuries were revealed during the baby´s post mortem examination.

The baby was initially thought to have died of Sudden Infant Death syndrome and the parents were released after giving initial statements to police. One her injuries came to light, the couple were sought and arrested trying to cross the border into Gibraltar. They have been in custody since April 2008. They appear in court in Elche this week."

British couple face 19 year prison sentence in Spain for the murder of their daughter

Jun 13, 2010 - 9:21 AM

The two month of baby died after an accidental fall in Torrevieja in 2008

The Prosecutors’ Office has called for 19 years in prison for a British couple in Torrevieja, considering them guilty of murder.

The prosecutors consider Carla Marie D. and Daryl W. to be responsible for the death of their two month old baby daughter, Lucía, who died on March 17 2008 from two cranial fractures which she suffered after an accidental fall.

Despite the accident neither of the parents took the child to any medical centre, ‘being clearly aware of the fatal consequences’.

The prosecution alleges that this was because the parents did not want the doctors to see the bruises on Lucia’s body, from a beating given before the fall by her father. The beating was revealed by the autopsy carried out on the child.

Initially it was thought the baby died from sudden death syndrome and the couple were released after giving their statements to the Guardia Civil.

The couple were however later arrested by the National Police when trying to cross the frontier into Gibraltar, and have been held in prison on remand since April 1 2008.

The case will be heard before a jury on Tuesday to Friday this week in the third section of the Alicante Provincial Court in Elche.